Fort, vesting en -onderdelen, Werken aan de Karnemelksloot Naarden (Gooise meren 27)

English translation

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Description

Cluster 9. Damsluis.

NIEUWE HOLLANDSE WATERLINIE

Introduction

Late 18th-century, but in the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie, from 1815 onwards, re-used DAMSLUIS (dam sluice), as an essential component of the inundation system around and near the Fortress Naarden. Naarden lies on the high grounds between the Naardermeer and the Zuiderzee, which formed an access to Amsterdam. It was one of the most important fortified towns of the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie. The waterline was primarily based on inundation of low-lying grounds to prevent the enemy passage. However, Naarden lay on the high slopes of the Gooi, which hindered inundations. It was decided to excavate the high grounds. The works on the Karnemelksloot are part of the attempts to keep water around the Fortress Naarden in place. In 1787 a dam sluice was constructed in the Karnemelksloot, which was in direct connection with the eastern fortress ditch of Naarden, at approximately one kilometre distance from it. The Karnemelksloot was in turn connected with the 's-Gravelandsche Vaart. Without the dam sluice the inundation water would flow directly from the Karnemelksloot in the direction of the 's-Gravelandsche Vaart and from there into the river Vecht. For protection of the dam sluice, likewise in 1787, two small, ditched, earthen lunettes were constructed on either side of the Karnemelksloot. Apart from serving to defend the sluice, they also served to prevent the enemy from passing Naarden on the south side. The dam sluice and the lunettes, enlarged in 1873-1875 into batteries, have been incorporated into the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie from 1815 onwards and were used until and including the mobilisation periods of 1914-1919 and 1939-1940.

The defence system of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie was in the first place based on the controlled inundation of (large) land areas. By means of an ingenious system of sluices, culverts, dams, weirs, dike cuts and so forth, the necessary water level could be quickly and precisely set and maintained. Partly for this purpose use was made of existing civil water management structures. Sometimes the works were (substantially) adapted to military requirements. A limited part of the works was specially constructed for the benefit of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. The dam sluice in the Karnemelksloot dates in origin from the time of the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie, but was renewed in 1873. A dam sluice is also called a shutter-beam sluice. These sluices can fulfil three functions: 1. Providing a temporary closure to dam up the supplied inundation water, 2. Preventing the water from flowing out of the inundation fields 3. Preventing too large an area from being inundated. The dam sluice at the Karnemelksloot was especially intended for function 2. With dam sluices the inundation level can be precisely controlled and can, in combination with weirs, the extent of the inundation fields be determined very precisely.

Description

DAMSLUIS, in origin from 1787, was adapted in the early 19th century, rebuilt in 1873 and restored in the 20th century. The sluice consists of two brick retaining walls (length 9.00 m) at approximately 4.00 m distance from each other, with angled wing walls and located between two lunettes (later batteries) on either side of the Karnemelksloot. In the middle of the retaining walls there are two shutter-beam grooves executed in hard stone with 1.50 to 2.00 metre spacing and adjacent to this on the north and south side a short hard stone groove with two iron rings for hanging doors. A gauge scale has been affixed in one of the wing walls. Shutter beams and doors are no longer present.

Valuation

The DAMSLUIS, in origin from 1787 and renewed in 1873, is of general importance because of:

* Cultural-historical values as components of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially realised from 1815 onwards by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently strengthened and improved by others over approximately 125 years.

* Architectural-historical values, particularly as an expression of military-strategic building construction, which is based on: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th century)

The component is an example of an expression of historical water engineering related to military-strategic building construction serving as a dam sluice and dates from 1787, was rebuilt in March 1873.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex and because of the closing position in the Karnemelksloot.

* The component is representative (characteristic) as an example of a dam sluice in the vicinity of Naarden with the function of retaining inundation water on the high grounds in this area. The sluice dates from the period of the Oude Hollandse Waterlinie, but was adapted and expanded during the period of the Nieuwe Hollandse Waterlinie.

* The component is well preserved because the 18th- and 19th-century sluice as such is still entirely present and recognisable, although shutter beams are lacking.